Look ma, no cables!Observing the ocean with underwater glidersDan RudnickScripps Institution of Oceanography

Rudnick, SIO

The world is going wireless

Rudnick, SIO

Wisdom

“The chief source of ideas in oceanography comes, I

think, from new observations.”

Henry Stommel

Rudnick, SIO

Stommel’s vision

Rudnick, SIO

Argo

•The ocean’s role in climate

•Global system for sustained observation of ocean temperature, salinity, velocity

Rudnick, SIO

Glider observations on the US coast

• Gliders’ role in ocean observing system is to patrol the boundaries, connecting the coastal and open ocean

Rudnick, SIO

Spray underwater glider

Rudnick, SIO

Glider operations

Rudnick, SIO

Gliders have carried all kinds of sensors

Rudnick, SIO

A growing enterprise

Rudnick, SIO

California Glider Network

Rudnick, SIO

Sections on CalCOFI line 80

• Depth-average velocity

• Salinity

• Along-shore velocity

• Acoustic backscatter

• Chlorophyll fluorescence

Rudnick, SIO

Dissolved oxygen and ocean acidification

•Using a proxy relationship to derive aragonite saturation (Alin et al. 2012)

Rudnick, SIO

The SoCal Niño Index

•Temperature anomaly at 50 m

•We are experiencing weak El Niño conditions now.

Gulf Stream

•Cross Atlantic 2009

•Cross Gulf Stream 2004

Rudnick, SIO

Gulf of Mexico

Rudnick, SIO

A national glider network

Rudnick, SIO

Data management

•National standards to ease exchange of data from regional glider operators

•Real-time distribution

•Quality control

•Archiving

OperationsPiloting

Glider Data Center

Users

Rudnick, SIO

A national glider network